So I re-watched the Ilinois State Game

[TKingpin]

and I had some observations as it pertains to this year's upcoming team...
1) Kulick has some big shoes to fill - Cox and Plewa were really tagging people on their lead blocks. It's easy to forget how good they were as slobberknocking fullbacks.

2) Drew Ott - Wow ... it would have been nice to see how dominant he would have been. By the 2nd quarter of the next game (ISU) he really wouldn't play any meaningful snaps. My goodness what an overpowering pass rusher he was. How did we generate a pass rush without this guy? It may have worked out better for both Drew and the Hawks if he had Broken that arm instead of dislocating the elbow. That poor Illinois St. LT was ... overmatched, to put it politely.

3) Maybin - had a great game both tackling and covering. I would like to see him sustain that kind of effort for all 12 games this upcoming season. He really PLANTED a couple of RBs early on.

4) King - it's late in the game and we are up 31 - 7 and they send him back for a PR. I'm thinking - "OMG! Don't get hurt!" I already knew he didn't ... but it made me wonder about this coming year. Can we really afford for him to be back there on Punt returns? He made some important punt returns during the year, but ... I just can't help but wonder if the Hawks could find someone else to do that. Is the risk too great? He could be our version of Charles Woodson this coming year, so maybe we just have to let him do his thing, but given what happened to Ott last year ... hmmm.

5) Healthy CJ - made some very good plays with his feet. He did all year, just not as many after the Pitt game after he was hurt. I am looking forward to seeing a return of the healthy CJ and how he can turn a nothing pass play into really good yardage.

6) New Kirk! it was great to see the standing ovation at Kinnick for the FAILED fake FG by Koehn. (one missed block on the backside early in the play was the difference in an 8 yard gain and turnover on downs vs a really big gain. Better yet was the quick possession right before half. Old Kirk kneels on it. Hell, old Kirk lets the clock run after Illinois St doesn't make it on 3rd down. He actually called a time-out to preserve the 40 seconds or so left on the clock. This time a nice pass to Canzeri out in the flat with a convoy in front of him and some sweet cutback moves turned into a 51 yard gain. Drive stalled at that point and we kicked a FG with :01 on the clock. But, it is easy to forget how Kirk never even used to TRY on these in the past. Hopefully, we see a lot more of that aggressiveness from KF and a lot more of that particular play using Wadley this year.

7) Leshun Daniels - He was running hard and was difficult to bring down. Let's hope he and Wadley both stay healthy. A running game like we know they can produce will open up so many things downfield ... Man, I can't wait!

Only complaint at the end of the game by Millen (I agreed with) is that the Hawks never really went "down the field" with a pass. Mostly short passes. As the season went on, I know we did more of that, but CJ has an arm and hopefully we find a way for him to use it with some longer pass plays this coming year.

I "taped" most of the games. When I have a chance to watch ISU I will maybe add a few comments about that game. IIRC, it is a good thing CJ had those long runs from deep in our own territory and that Vandeberg was in the right spot when the TE fumbled that ball near the goal line. Without those plays ... well, I am glad we didn't have to see how the season would have played out if we had lost to a 3 win ISU team.

EDIT: So what do people think about whether we should have Dez King be the Punt returner? Am I the only one thinking it is too risky to put him back there? IIRC - Micah Hyde was easily our best PR a few years ago, but Kirk put someone else back there because we couldn't afford Micah to get an injury

 

[Herkmeister]

and I had some observations as it pertains to this year's upcoming team...
1) Kulick has some big shoes to fill - Cox and Plewa were really tagging people on their lead blocks. It's easy to forget how good they were as slobberknocking fullbacks.

2) Drew Ott - Wow ... it would have been nice to see how dominant he would have been. By the 2nd quarter of the next game (ISU) he really wouldn't play any meaningful snaps. My goodness what an overpowering pass rusher he was. How did we generate a pass rush without this guy? It may have worked out better for both Drew and the Hawks if he had Broken that arm instead of dislocating the elbow. That poor Illinois St. LT was ... overmatched, to put it politely.

3) Maybin - had a great game both tackling and covering. I would like to see him sustain that kind of effort for all 12 games this upcoming season. He really PLANTED a couple of RBs early on.

4) King - it's late in the game and we are up 31 - 7 and they send him back for a PR. I'm thinking - "OMG! Don't get hurt!" I already knew he didn't ... but it made me wonder about this coming year. Can we really afford for him to be back there on Punt returns? He made some important punt returns during the year, but ... I just can't help but wonder if the Hawks could find someone else to do that. Is the risk too great? He could be our version of Charles Woodson this coming year, so maybe we just have to let him do his thing, but given what happened to Ott last year ... hmmm.

5) Healthy CJ - made some very good plays with his feet. He did all year, just not as many after the Pitt game after he was hurt. I am looking forward to seeing a return of the healthy CJ and how he can turn a nothing pass play into really good yardage.

6) New Kirk! it was great to see the standing ovation at Kinnick for the FAILED fake FG by Koehn. (one missed block on the backside early in the play was the difference in an 8 yard gain and turnover on downs vs a really big gain. Better yet was the quick possession right before half. Old Kirk kneels on it. Hell, old Kirk lets the clock run after Illinois St doesn't make it on 3rd down. He actually called a time-out to preserve the 40 seconds or so left on the clock. This time a nice pass to Canzeri out in the flat with a convoy in front of him and some sweet cutback moves turned into a 51 yard gain. Drive stalled at that point and we kicked a FG with :01 on the clock. But, it is easy to forget how Kirk never even used to TRY on these in the past. Hopefully, we see a lot more of that aggressiveness from KF and a lot more of that particular play using Wadley this year.

7) Leshun Daniels - He was running hard and was difficult to bring down. Let's hope he and Wadley both stay healthy. A running game like we know they can produce will open up so many things downfield ... Man, I can't wait!

Only complaint at the end of the game by Millen (I agreed with) is that the Hawks never really went "down the field" with a pass. Mostly short passes. As the season went on, I know we did more of that, but CJ has an arm and hopefully we find a way for him to use it with some longer pass plays this coming year.

I "taped" most of the games. When I have a chance to watch ISU I will maybe add a few comments about that game. IIRC, it is a good thing CJ had those long runs from deep in our own territory and that Vandeberg was in the right spot when the TE fumbled that ball near the goal line. Without those plays ... well, I am glad we didn't have to see how the season would have played out if we had lost to a 3 win ISU team.

EDIT: So what do people think about whether we should have Dez King be the Punt returner? Am I the only one thinking it is too risky to put him back there? IIRC - Micah Hyde was easily our best PR a few years ago, but Kirk put someone else back there because we couldn't afford Micah to get an injury

Please let us know when you plan to write your next book. I'll buy it.

 

[scotthawk1964]

The only Iowa football I have rewatched was the 85 yard TD from Beathard to Smith. What a thing of beauty it was. I only wish they had done that a few more times earlier in the game.

 

[nu2u]

So what do people think about whether we should have Dez King be the Punt returner? Am I the only one thinking it is too risky to put him back there

The biggest risk I see is a blatantly illegal hit where some idiot opponent going full speed misses the fair catch signal and creams him causing a concussion and a two week rehab or, god forbid, a season ending injury.

Otherwise, why not? If he is our best PR, I say play him.

 

[Hawk68]

The FB has become a decent guard with the most speed.

 

[pocha444444]

There is no such thing as "new kirk". We must never talk of "new kirk".

 

[Dauminator]

I have no problem with King as PR. Play the best players.

 

[DodgerHawki]

and I had some observations as it pertains to this year's upcoming team...
1) Kulick has some big shoes to fill - Cox and Plewa were really tagging people on their lead blocks. It's easy to forget how good they were as slobberknocking fullbacks.

2) Drew Ott - Wow ... it would have been nice to see how dominant he would have been. By the 2nd quarter of the next game (ISU) he really wouldn't play any meaningful snaps. My goodness what an overpowering pass rusher he was. How did we generate a pass rush without this guy? It may have worked out better for both Drew and the Hawks if he had Broken that arm instead of dislocating the elbow. That poor Illinois St. LT was ... overmatched, to put it politely.

3) Maybin - had a great game both tackling and covering. I would like to see him sustain that kind of effort for all 12 games this upcoming season. He really PLANTED a couple of RBs early on.

4) King - it's late in the game and we are up 31 - 7 and they send him back for a PR. I'm thinking - "OMG! Don't get hurt!" I already knew he didn't ... but it made me wonder about this coming year. Can we really afford for him to be back there on Punt returns? He made some important punt returns during the year, but ... I just can't help but wonder if the Hawks could find someone else to do that. Is the risk too great? He could be our version of Charles Woodson this coming year, so maybe we just have to let him do his thing, but given what happened to Ott last year ... hmmm.

5) Healthy CJ - made some very good plays with his feet. He did all year, just not as many after the Pitt game after he was hurt. I am looking forward to seeing a return of the healthy CJ and how he can turn a nothing pass play into really good yardage.

6) New Kirk! it was great to see the standing ovation at Kinnick for the FAILED fake FG by Koehn. (one missed block on the backside early in the play was the difference in an 8 yard gain and turnover on downs vs a really big gain. Better yet was the quick possession right before half. Old Kirk kneels on it. Hell, old Kirk lets the clock run after Illinois St doesn't make it on 3rd down. He actually called a time-out to preserve the 40 seconds or so left on the clock. This time a nice pass to Canzeri out in the flat with a convoy in front of him and some sweet cutback moves turned into a 51 yard gain. Drive stalled at that point and we kicked a FG with :01 on the clock. But, it is easy to forget how Kirk never even used to TRY on these in the past. Hopefully, we see a lot more of that aggressiveness from KF and a lot more of that particular play using Wadley this year.

7) Leshun Daniels - He was running hard and was difficult to bring down. Let's hope he and Wadley both stay healthy. A running game like we know they can produce will open up so many things downfield ... Man, I can't wait!

Only complaint at the end of the game by Millen (I agreed with) is that the Hawks never really went "down the field" with a pass. Mostly short passes. As the season went on, I know we did more of that, but CJ has an arm and hopefully we find a way for him to use it with some longer pass plays this coming year.

I "taped" most of the games. When I have a chance to watch ISU I will maybe add a few comments about that game. IIRC, it is a good thing CJ had those long runs from deep in our own territory and that Vandeberg was in the right spot when the TE fumbled that ball near the goal line. Without those plays ... well, I am glad we didn't have to see how the season would have played out if we had lost to a 3 win ISU team.

EDIT: So what do people think about whether we should have Dez King be the Punt returner? Am I the only one thinking it is too risky to put him back there? IIRC - Micah Hyde was easily our best PR a few years ago, but Kirk put someone else back there because we couldn't afford Micah to get an injury

Interesting observations. Cox and Plewa were good at what they did. Kulick does have big shoes to fill.

2) Yes, we got only small glimpses of Ott last year and it was impressive. After the injury, he looked like himself at Wisconsin with the strip sack/forced fumble, and 2 other tackles for loss at Madison. Then he got hurt.

3) Mabin played hard all year. Both he and King are good tacklers.

4) King on punt returns. I think KF was asked about this after the game. He said something like "there is risk involved in anything." But they needed King to get reps on punt return. I agree that they need to look for places to rest him.

5) Healthy CJ will be great to see. Hopefully we can see that all year.

6) New Kirk. Agree they made some changes. Much of the perceived change is related to having a better QB. It's easy to be more aggressive when you have a QB who can make something happen.

7) Daniels is effective when 100% healthy. Problem is he basically can't stay healthy for more than 1-2 games at a time, and he's proven to be not effective at less than 100%.

 

[meatloaf55]

I love king at punt returner.. he is too much of a game changer to not have him back there. He should probably stay away from kick returns because of the bigger risk to injury but punt returns all day. He can really change field position

 

[Pepperman]

6) New Kirk. Agree they made some changes. Much of the perceived change is related to having a better QB. It's easy to be more aggressive when you have a QB who can make something happen.

I have been critical of KF's conservatism many times, but I have to give him a lot of credit for being more aggressive last year. Maybe BF deserves the credit, I don't know.

The example of this game is a very good one. He didn't sit on the ball. He called a TO to ensure we had a chance to score again. I loved it.

Off the top of my head:

ISU game - he also went for the fake FG at the end of the first half and it came damn close to being a TD. While that was a bit of a head-scratcher in real time, it was refreshing to see Kirk trying risky things as you knew it would be in the mind of opponents the rest of the year.

Pitt game - tie game with less than a minute... he didn't take that one to OT like he did at Ohio State back in 2009. He went for it and Koehn made the play.

Wisconsin - went for it on 4th and goal early in the game. Didn't convert, but I loved the call and the aggression. Especially early in the game, this is the correct call every time.